Page 41 of Revenge Vows

My eyes scan the heading of each file, looking for the deed, carefully putting each sheaf of paper back in its exact place. I get so lost in my search that I don’t hear the first rattle of the door. By the time I turn around, the door is being opened.

I hurriedly put the paper back in place into the drawer as the person pushes the door open.

I look around for anywhere to hide, cursing myself for leaving it unlocked. My eyes fall on a small opening behind the shelves, just big enough to hide me from view. Just as I am about to dart across the room, the door flies open, flinging a chair across the room. A guard enters the room, and before I can run, he grabs my shoulders and throws me to the hard floor.

Before I can recover, he pounces on me and grabs my neck.

“You little bitch. You’re snooping, aren’t you?” he says, squeezing my neck.

I cough, and I fight against him helplessly, kicking and hitting him, but he is firmly positioned over me.

“Do you know how much trouble we got into because of you?” he snaps.

I can’t breathe. I feel his palms crushing my throat and forcing the air out of me. Tears slide down my face as I try to wriggle away. Just as darkness is about to take over, there is the shattering sound of a gunshot.

There is dead silence following as the guard and I stare at each other wide-eyed. His hands on my neck start to slacken as blood oozes from the newly formed hole in his head. He falls sideways away from me and behind him is Antonio with his gun pointed at me and his hand on the trigger.

I close my eyes and prepare for my death. I say a silent prayer as I hear the sound of his gun cocking.

Chapter Sixteen

Antonio

“Shooting the guard was taking it a bit too far, don’t you think?” Donatello says as we watch the men move the documents into the vault.

“He was trying to kill her,” I say absentmindedly.

He sighs. “The other guards confirmed that he tried to wrench open the door. What was she doing in there, by the way?” he asks.

“I sent her down to get me a drink. She probably lost her way or something,” I say.

He sighs. “Even you know that’s bullshit,” he says. “You know she can’t be trusted either. That’s why you’re moving the documents to the vault, isn’t it?”

“I am not in the mood to argue, Donatello. Give me the rundown,” I say.

“We hit two million dollars’ worth of profit this week, and from the looks of it, that’ll double by the end of the month,” he replies.

“We usually average twenty monthly, at least five a week. Why is it going so slowly?” I ask.

I see him bite down on his tongue, holding back his sharp retort.

“Maybe if you would visit the club and stop spending so much time doing heaven knows what—” he catches himself and smiles.

“We will do better,” he says.

“And how is Bunny handling patrol?” I ask.

He sighs. “You’ll have to ask him yourself. I heard from the men that he hasn’t been showing up.”

“Why haven’t you addressed that problem?” I ask.

“You know how Bunny gets. He’ll come around soon,” he says.

I turn to him. “Bunny disobeyed a direct order. I stated the consequences for that disobedience,” I say, stepping up to Donatello. “If he doesn’t show up to patrol tonight, tell him that I’ll lock him down in the basement myself.”

Donatello nods. I turn to the men moving the documents, and I hear him sigh.

“You’ve changed a lot since that woman came into your life. I’m trying to think nothing of it, but it’s starting to get a bit too glaring to be ignored,” he says.

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